What is Photo Masking In Adobe Photoshop?

Adobe Photoshop has indeed brought a revolution in the designing world. There are certain techniques in Photoshop that are binding for every Photoshop enthusiast or expert to learn. Photo Masking is one such indubitable technique which is practiced a lot. It allows a designer the ability to clip out required images from a detailed artwork like removing a subject from the background. Well, masking plays much larger role in Photoshop than a non-designer user could ever understand.

Here are few things that you need to know about Photo Masking in Photoshop-

Gradient Mask for Soft Transition–

Soft Transitions can be created with the help of Gradient Tools. These transitions are created between your masked layers and the layers beneath it. Gradient masks can be easily updated with the help of Gradient tool. It is an easy process.

Clipping Mask With Text–

Clipping Mask in Photoshop is ideal for using the contents of a layer as a mask for another layer. You can take best advantage from this when you wish to show an image inside the text at the screen. It is quite simple though because you just have to create a text layer and take an image in different layer and place it on the top of the content. After this, you need to hold the Alt button and click between the two layers in the layer panel. Even after creating the clipping mask, you can edit the text or change the position of the image wherever you like. This will not break the link amidst the mask elements.

Quick Mask–

Quick Mask can also be referred as the starting stage of creating a mask. You can turn it on by pressing “Q” button from the keyboard. Inside the quick mask, brush tool or gradient tool can be used to make selection. The selected areas will appear with their original colors. On the other hand, the deselected areas will appear with 50% red overlay on top of them. Once you have made needed selection, you can press “Q” button again. Your selection is all set to be turned into a pixel mask to be applied on whichever layer you want.

Multiple Masks-

Well, having the pixel and vector mask on the same layer is possible. But the question is, when is it useful? Sometimes you have to make selections of the objects with complicated edges and simultaneously clean and sharp the edges on other parts. These are the situations where multiple masks work perfectly. Vector masks are ideal for sharp and clean edges whereas Pixel masks are best suited for fine and complicated details.